County road crews ready for winter snowstorms

Here’s the total amount of “materials” the 26 snowplow drivers can dip into at the three county sheds to spread on 192 miles of icy and snow-covered paved roads this winter: 2,000 tons of sand and 425 tons of salt.

The salt gets mixed with small amounts of calcium chloride, and Kieffer said that he ordered 896, 50-lb. bags for the county maintenance sheds in Boone, Madrid and Ogden. The calcium chloride is purchased from the Iowa Department of Transportation (I-DOT), which maintains three state and two U.S. highways in the county.

“We usually like to haul our sand late October,” Kieffer said.

Sand is trucked in to each county “hoop” where it is stockpiled – the large open-sided structure gets its name from its hoop-like shape – from M&J Aggregate Group in north Boone.

“For the 2013-14 snow and ice control we budgeted $455,000,” Kieffer said.

That’s about average, he said. For the 2012-13 winter season, Kieffer had $500,000 to spend on snow removal.

“We try to budget heavy if at all possible,” he said. “You’d rather have your budget be more than come up real short.”

The Secondary Roads Department maintains 18 road graders equipped with “V” plows and wings, which extend from the side and plow snow from the road’s shoulders.

The 26 drivers man nine dump trucks equipped with plows and also “spreaders” that distribute the sand/salt mixture. After first clearing 192 miles of paved roads in winter storms, the crews will tackle 790 miles of gravel roads.

An I-DOT website helps Kieffer and a foreman stay ahead of any winter storms with hourly weather forecasts. Crews’ normal hours of operation are from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. but will, if necessary in severe winter storms, begin plowing at 5 a.m. and stay out until dark, according to Kieffer.

The cost of mailboxes that are damaged by snow plows during snow removal will be reimbursed by the county, which will pay $10 for a small one and $15 for a large mail box.